Transfer of information from one location to another has conventionally taken different forms, such as transfer by voice through voice mail systems, transfer of text through facsimile systems and transfer of data through modem links. Of these, all have a common goal of transferring information from one location to another in as expedient a manner as possible. However, each of these systems has its limitations. For example, voice mail systems require a telephone link between a sender and a central mailbox location. The voice information is then stored as a voice message at the central location or mailbox, and then the recipient must call in at a later time to receive his message. With respect to facsimile locations, a phone system is again required with the message sent to a central location, i.e., the recipient's FAX machine. With respect to modems, the recipient must be at a known location and have a computer configured to receive a file which is downloaded from the sender's PC through the telephone line. Each of these systems requires that a fixed location be provided for the recipient information, thus requiring the recipient to go to that fixed location to obtain the information. Of course, cellular phone systems allow voice to be transferred in a portable manner, but this is a real-time system. In some instances, facsimile machines are associated with a cellular telephone such that the recipient can carry the FAX machine and cellular telephone in a briefcase.
One method for transferring information to individuals in an immediate manner is through use of paging systems. Paging systems allow short messages to be transmitted over paging frequencies to portable receivers which are carried on the person of the recipient. Therefore, if a message is transmitted to a recipient, the sender is reasonably assured that the message has arrived at the recipient's person. However, paging systems typically do not facilitate transfer of large text messages, graphics or the such. This is due to the fact that large amounts of information transmitted over paging systems significantly reduce throughput with messages queued up at a central station and then transmitted in a simulcast, broadcast manner to the entire paging system in a predetermined sequence. This is a serial broadcast communication system and, as such, a long message merely delays transmission of the remainder of the messages.
One of the disadvantages of transferring data over paging systems is that a single frequency is typically utilized for paging and the data is typically transferred from a central point to all of the recipient pagers at a single time. Even if the pagers can be prompted by the paging signal, it is necessary to output the information to the recipient pagers in an orderly manner. This, in and of itself, causes throughput problems due to the centralization and large spatial area broadcasting of the data.